Coin-collecting apparatus for telephone-exchanges.



PATENTED JULY 23, 1907. CL D. ENOCHS. COIN COLLECTING APPARATUS FOR TELEPHONE EXCHANGES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25.1905- 7 Zl/(Zneaaes:

1n: mamas PETERS cm, WAEHINGTON, n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDE D. ENOCHS, OF LA OROSSE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR-TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed September 25, 1905. Serial No- 279,976.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE D. ENOCHS, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Crosse, in the county of La Crosse and State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Coin-Collecting Apparatus for Telephone-Exchanges, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact descrip tion.

My invention relates to a coin controlled toll collection appliance for telephpnes, and its object is to provide simplemechanisni for permitting the subscriber to signal the central oflicerupon depositing a coin, and for permitting the central office to control the disposition of the coin without aid from the subscriber, and more especially to means for preventing an accidental disposition of the coin.

In a well known type, there is employed a polarized electro-magnet, whose armature is normally maintained in a central position, but which is adapted to tilt to one side or the other, according to the direction in which the electric current flows through the coils. The tilting armature of this polarized electromagnet is connect ed with mechanism, whereby its movement in one direction will serve to direct a coin, which has been deposited, into the cash box, while a movement in the opposite direction will cause the coin to take a passage way leading into a return-cup on the outside of the box. At the central station means are provided whereby the operator may impress upon the line of the subscriber electric current of the proper sign to throw the armature of the polarized electromagnet to one side or the other, as may be desired. While the electromagnet and its armature are so constructed that as a rule only the current impressed by the operator will actuate the electromagnet to deposit a coin, still ringing currents, especially in a party line system may cause the armature to flutter in such a way as to accidentally displace the coin.

My invention provides a means for preventing any [low of current through the polarized electromagnet except such current as is designed to actuate the armature to deposit the coin.

In the usual construction the deposit of a coin closes a circuit from ground at the subscribers station through the polarized electromagnet to ground at the central station.

By the improvement constituting my invention, the circuit closed by the coin does not normally include the polarized electromagnet.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with a party line system.

I will describe my invention more particularly by reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic view illustrating, by means of conventional symbols, the apparatus at the subscribers stations and the apparatus at the central oflice, together with the telephone line circuit for a party line system.

The central switchboard and the circuits connecting the subscribers telephones to the same, with which 1 have chosen to illustrate my invention, are of a wellknown type and hence need no detailed description. When a subscriber at station A, for example, desires a connection, he deposits a coin 7c in the coin receiving apparatus at his station. By so doing the coin actuates the rocking lever m to close the contacts 9 g in the usual manner. A circuit is thus closed from ground through contacts 9 g, auxiliary relay R, line 9, line 1, relay 0, battery 2' to ground at the central station B. The relay 0 attracts its armature and closes the circuit containing the lamp (1 or other signal at the central office. The operator, observing the signal inserts her answering plug n into the spring jack Z) and makes the desired connection in the usual manner. The polarized electromagnet h is included in a shunt circuit 9 normally open at contact 1'. A wide air-gap is provided between the relay R and its armature, so that when the coin is in position the armature would merely flutter in response to either pulsating or alternating currents such as are used for ringing, and the armature would not engage the contact 1 to close the shunt circuit 9 The circuit containing the polarized electromagnet it being thus normally opened at 1', the ringing current does not pass through said electromagnet, and the accidental operation of the coin controlling mechanism is prevented.

When the operator presses the key a or the key f,

according to whether she wishes to refund the coin or deposit it in the coin box, a direct and steady current of high voltage is sent over the line g, in the usual manner. This current, passing through the relay R, causes its armature to be attracted and engage the contact point 1'. A circuit is thus closed from the line g, through the line g including the polarized electromagnet h, contact points 1' g g to ground. If the operator depresses the refund key f, sending out a negative current of high voltage from the generator f the polarized electromagnet h causes its armature h to be tilted in one direction and return the coin. If the operator depresses the key 6, sending out a positive current from the generator e, the coin is released so as to fall into the cash box. 1

My invention may be used with any of the usual coin receiving apparatus operated by a polarized electromagnet, such ior example as is shown in United States Letters Patent to Albert M. Bullard, No. 665,874, granted January 15th, 1901. Hence a showing or a de scription of such apparatus is unnecessary, it being understood that mechanism is provided whereby the tilting of the armature oi the electromagnet h disposes of the coin in the usual mannerv Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with a signaling circuit including an indicating device, of a pair of normally open contacts in said circuit adapted to be closed by a coin to actuate the indicating device, a relay included in said circuit, an electromagnet whose circuit is controlled by said relay,

means for impressing upon the signal circuit a current which will operate said relay and energize the electromag net, and means actuated by the energization of said magnet to control the disposal of said coin.

2. The combination with a telephone line extending from a subscriber's station to the central ofiice, of a coin receiving apparatus at the subscriber's station, a branch circuit of said telephone line including a relay, an electromagnet included in a shunt circuit of said relay, a normally open switch for said shunt circuit, controlled by said relay, means operated by the energization of said electro-inagnet to dispose of a coin deposited in said coin receiving apparatus, and means at the central office for impressing upon the telephone line a current which will operate said relay to close said switch and energize said electromagnet.

3. In a telephone system, the combination with a signaling circuit including an indicating device at the central ofiice, of a pair of contacts in said circuit, a coin receiving device adapted to hold a coin in position to alter the relations of said contacts and thereby to change the condition of the circuit and thus to actuate the indicating de' vice, a polarized electromagnet included in a normallyopen circuit, an armature for said electromagnet, means connected therewith for directing the disposition of a coin, means controlled at the central office for closing the circuit of said polarized electromagnet, and supplying a current of either positive or negative sign to the coils thereof.

4. In a party line telephone system, the combination with a normallybpen signaling circuit including an indicating device, of a pair of contacts adapted to be actuated by a coin to close said circuit, a relay included in said circuit, said relay being so constructed as not to be operated by ringing currents, a polarized electromagnet included in a shunt of the relay controlled by said relay, means at the central ofiice for sending current over said circuit to operate-the relay and thereby to close the circuit through said electromagnet, and means actuated by the energization of said polarized electromagnet to control the disposition of said coin.

5. The combination with a signaling circuit including an indicating device, of a pair of normally open contacts in said circuit adapted to be closed by a coin to actuate the indicating device, a relay included in said circuit, a

polarized eiectroiiiagnet included in a shunt circuit coir trolled by said relay, means at the central office for impressing upon the circuit positive or negative current, whereby the relay is actuated and the polarized electromagnet is included in the signal circuit, and means actuated by the energization of said polarized electromagnet to direct the disposition of said coin.

6. The combination with a telephone line extending from a subscribers station to the central ofiice, including a signal indicating device at the central station, of a coin receiving apparatus at the subscribers station, a grounded branch circuit of said telephone line including a relay, contacts in said branch circuit adapted to be actuated by -the deposit of a coin in the coin receiving apparatus to change the electrical condition of the telephone line and actuate said signal indicating device, a polarized eleetromagnet included in a shunt circuit controlled by said re- I lay, means operated by the energization of said polarized magnet for controlling the disposition of said coin, and

, means at the central ofiice for impressing positive or negalive direct current upon the telephone line to actuate the relay so that the polarized electromagnet is energized and causes the coin to be deposited in either of two places.

7. The combination with a telephone circuit extending from a subscribers station to the central otfice and a source of current for said circuit, of a coin receiving apparatus at the subscribers station, a relay included in said circuit, said relay being so constructed as not to be operated by the normal current in said circuit arising from said source of current, a coin-distributing electromagnet for disposing of a coin deposited in said coin receiving apparatus, said electromagnet having a circuit controlled by said relay, a source of current of high voltage adapted to actuate said relay, and a switch at the central oflice for connecting said latter-source of current with said telephone circuit.

8. The combination with a telephone circuit extending from a subscrihers station to the central oflice and a source of current for said circuit, of a toll-device at the subscriber's station, a relay included in said circuit, said relay being so constructed as not to be operated by the normal current in said circuit arising from said source of current, an electromagnet for controlling the operation of said toll-device, said electromagnet having a circuit controlled by said relay, a source of current of high voltage adapted to actuate said relay, and a switch at the central oflice for connecting said latter source of current with said telephone circuit.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26 day of July A. 1)., 1905.

CLAUDE D. ENOCI-IS.

Witnesses RUTH WannnN, OLGA JENSEN. 

